The Wings of Fate
by Sol Hiryu
Summary: One day in his travels, Ike comes across a winged boy, one possibly on the verge of death...what it turns into is a journey back to where he came from. Ike/Pit, their love and all the moments in between. Slight AU, originally done for the SSB Kink Meme.
1. The Wings of Fate

The day was old, with the sun setting and the stars beginning to appear as the night sky faded in. Down below, in a single house in the middle of nowhere, the last dregs of sunlight shone through the window as young boy blearily opened his eyes.

The first thing he felt was excruciating pain. It _hurt_! His body felt like it was still on fire, his arms and legs like they were going to fall off if he even moved wrong, but worst of all, his wings felt like they had been ripped off, he could barely move them and-

"Good, you're awake," The unfamiliar voice snapped the boy out of his thoughts, looking up at someone standing over his bed. "You're very lucky, you know. I thought you were dead when I found you."

_Dead?_ the boy thought, unable to deduce what happened to him. His thoughts were a mess and would take a while to sort out, so he decided to go with the obvious question. "Where am I?"

The man stared down at the boy. Numerous bruises and cuts were among his body, but the most surprising thing was that the boy had white wings, like an angel or one of the herons he had met and fought together with years ago. Those wings were bloody and looked like they had almost been ripped right off his body, so he supposed that the boy barely survived whatever attacked him. "Where you are isn't important right now. All I want to know is how you fell right out of the sky."

The boy frowned. _The sky?_ he wondered before he started remembering. A tournament. There was some sort of tournament to be held, the _Smash Tournament _if he recalled, to be fought by the greatest warriors assembled. He recalled being there... but that was as far as he could remember, up to the point where there was incredible pain, lashing across his body and not letting up, his wings-

"Hey, kid, you're trembling!" the man snapped, laying a hand on his shoulder to get him to stop convulsing. Slowly, the boy stopped and looked at the stranger's face. Blue hair, much like that of that prince he met (Marth, he remembered clearly), but much more messy and had a green headband tied around his head. The most striking thing to him was his eyes, they were incredibly blue, but had such a sharpness to them and felt so _cold_ just by staring into them...Shaking his head, he sighed.

"Sorry...I can't remember," he muttered, defeated. "All I can remember is the pain I felt before I woke up here." He saw the man nod as he set down a bowl of water on the table next to him.

"Can you remember your name?" the man asked, eyes narrowing slightly. The boy nodded.

"Yes. My name is Pit, and..." _That's right..._ he thought as his memories started to slowly come back. "I'm an angel, the captain of Goddess Palutena's knights. Yeah, I remember that..." he trailed off, his eyes distant.

Pit was afraid that the man would snort and call him crazy, that angels didn't exist and were only fairy tales, but to his surprise, he only nodded again. "I see. Considering everything that's happened in my life, that's pretty tame. Just get some rest Pit, and I'll get back to you in the morning." He started to leave, but was stopped as Pit reached out to hold his arm, despite his body crying out in protest.

"Wait, please! What's your name?" he asked innocently, studying the other man's face intently. There was a long pause before there was an answer.

"Ike. That's all you need to know for the moment, so just rest." he said gruffly as he left the room. Pit stared at the door for several minutes before laying back down, his mind still a jumble of thoughts and confusion, but decided to rest.

_I can trust him._ he thought as he drifted off into slumber.

* * *

It had been a week before Ike deemed Pit would be able to move around, and the angel was grateful that the other man watched over him. To his dismay, however, his wings were a total wreck. It hurt to even move them around, and he wouldn't be flying in the sky anytime soon. Ike must have sensed his depression, because he immediately clapped the boy's shoulder, the smallest hint of a smile on his face.

"You'll fly again, someday. It's up to you to get to that point, however. If you don't have to will to try and fix it, you'll stay grounded forever." Pit caught on to his words, eyes widening. Even with his wings in their current condition, he had to keep believing that he would fly again.

"Thank you." Ike shook his head, another sigh leaving his lips.

"Can you remember anything new?" The angel frowned. Ike had been pressing him to remember everything that had led up to him falling out of the sky, but it was just so hard! Luckily, the swordsman was patient; he merely closed his eyes and nodded when he said he couldn't remember anything more.

Shaking his head, he decided he needed to ask a question. "Ike...why do you need to know, anyway? I'm a stranger, aren't I?"

That cold look that had been always been in his eyes before suddenly disappeared, and for a brief moment, Pit could see things underneath; the worry, the sadness, the pain, the _friendliness_ that radiated from those eyes before the iciness returned. "Yes...I suppose you're right. However..." he trailed off, looking at the blue, endless sky above them. "For a great portion of my life, I've lived as a mercenary, the leader of my own band. I've learned that any secrets, unknowns, or anything that is out of the ordinary is very dangerous; to be caught unaware is asking for death, you understand? If that thing that did that to you is still out there..."

Ike stopped there, his mouth forming into a thin line of suppressed anger. Pit couldn't read people well, but he was surprised when he immediately thought of one thing. _He's worried. He's worried that I'm still hurt, that I'm still vulnerable...and he's disliking the fact that he couldn't help me._ People worrying about him, other than his Goddess, was something he was unaccustomed to, so he had to fight a blush that threatened to appear on his cheeks.

"In any case...just know that being kept in the dark is bad, okay?" Ike said softly, turning around to face him. He was surprised when Pit clutched his head, his eyes widening and unfocused.

_Great darkness, a giant void...a writhing white hand...pain, great pain...!_

"Hey, Pit! Snap out of it!" Ike called as he shook him. Slowly, Pit's eyes refocused, breathing heavily as Ike held him closer than he remembered ever being.

"I...I think I'm beginning to remember how I got here..." he gasped, memories flooding into his mind. "I can remember standing in some dark place...I could literally see a giant void, and...a giant white hand, it was writhing so much, I couldn't follow it..."

Ike nodded, putting that information aside for the moment. "That's great...you look like you're beginning to be yourself again." he said warmly, to Pit's surprise. "Come, let's get back inside. From your face, it looks like it has been an ordeal just remembering."

Pit allowed himself to be picked up by the larger man, resting contentedly in his arms. Before closing his eyes, he saw a small smile grace Ike's face, and Pit wanted to see it again. It looked so warm, so happy...

* * *

To Pit, time flew by quickly. Days had turned into weeks, and then into months. Before he knew it, it had been a whole three months since he started to live with Ike. They had settled into a daily ritual; Ike would either go hunting in the woods or take a small job in the nearby town for some food, while Pit cleaned the house and would eagerly wait for the mercenary to get back.

He wouldn't admit it, but he liked to live with the mercenary. Ike had been opening up to him as of late, the frigid air he carried himself on dispersing in favor of a warmer personality. Pit always looked forward to the tales the mercenary told, of his past life on another continent. In return, Pit would offer his own stories of what happened in his past, and Ike couldn't help but be impressed at the way the angel had stormed his enemies' world and rescued his goddess singlehandedly.

His wings were almost fully healed, to Ike's surprise. Considering the extent of the damage done to them, Pit didn't blame him. The angel was very excited; soon, he would be able to fly amongst the clouds once again!

Pit, despite himself, didn't want it to end. However, each day, bits and pieces of his memory were slowly returning to him as his wings healed, and a great fear settled inside his heart. Would he have to leave the mercenary behind once he remembered everything? He didn't want that! The angel just couldn't seem to shake off his fear, and Ike looked at him that night with worried eyes.

And then, the next day, he remembered.

Pit gasped as he sat at the table, clutching his head as the final piece of his memory, the one that led to this whole ordeal, finally surfaced in his mind.

_That white writhing hand had grasped him, squeezing until he could feel like his bones would break, nearly plucking out his wings from his body until he saw another white hand slam into it, trying to get it to stop. He heard all the voices, the concerned yells and screams and he couldn't take it, he just had to get away...and so, he was falling..._

The angel then seized up; with the return of the final piece of his memory, he remembered his duty. He remembered the comrades that were still up there, still looking for him..._I have to go, I have to return...they're waiting for me..._

_But I don't want to leave...!_

Pit thought he was imagining it, but there was suddenly a pain in his chest, almost as if his heart was telling him to follow it. But he couldn't, he was chosen by his Goddess...there was no choice!

"Pit?" Ike's voice rang throughout the small house, walking in. He paused when he saw the young angel trembling, staring down at the table. It looked like he was on the verge of tears. "What's wrong?" he asked quickly, slight panic already creeping into his voice.

The angel looked up, and before either of them could react, he flung himself into Ike's arms, burying himself into his chest; his safe haven. "Ike...oh by the Goddess Palutena, Ike...I've remembered..." he mumbled, drawing closer to the other man's chest. He didn't want to let go...

The swordsman was stunned, but didn't fight it as Pit embraced him, still shuddering. "Your memory?" he asked quietly, stroking the brown hair in front of him.

There was a nod. "I'm...I can't stay here. I have to go back as soon as possible." he stuttered, almost as if he was afraid to say it.

"Go where?" Ike questioned, his confusion obvious.

"Back to where my companions are waiting for me...I remember everything now, it's so clear to me as if I didn't lose it at all. I just have to get back into the sky..." Pit flapped his wings for emphasis, the pain now mostly gone.

Ike's mind was a whirl of thoughts, of feelings, of the brief memories he had of this boy in his arms for the past few months. "Pit..." He couldn't bring himself to say what he wanted, of what he was really feeling, so he just clutched the angel tighter to himself. Taking a deep breath, he decided he needed to tell him. "I don't want you to leave..." he breathed, eyes distant. He remembered his departure from Tellius, saying his final farewells to the companions he had drew close to over the years. He didn't want that pain again. "I want you here, with me."

Pit teared up. He was wanted by the person he had learned to trust and admire, but he couldn't. "Ike, don't make this any harder! I have to leave, I don't have a choice in it!" he cried, tears finally spilling into the front of Ike's clothes. "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..."

Ike couldn't do anything but hold him close; was their final good-bye not that far off?

* * *

The next morning, Pit gazed forlornly at the small house he learned to call his home for the past few months. He would be leaving behind someone he had started to love, but he also had people to go back to. Goddess Palutena and his other friends would still be looking for him. Biting his lip, he turned and stretched his wings, ready to take to the air again, when he heard that voice behind him.

"If you're going to leave...the least you could do is wait up." came Ike's voice, a pack over his shoulder and Ragnell in his other hand. Pit looked surprised; he knew Ike didn't have many valuables, and all of them seemed to be in that bag. "I'm coming with you."

"What?!" he exclaimed, blinking. "But why? I thought you didn't want to leave here!"

Ike shook his head, bemused. "I have no attachments to this place. Being alone is hard, but manageable...but you went and disrupted it, didn't you?" He smiled, laughing at Pit's blushing. "Anyway, do you know where to go? I can't imagine flying higher into the sky will get you anywhere."

Pit opened his mouth, then closed it. He had a point. "It's my only lead, though. If I need to get back, why not go back the way I came?" he asked, looking at the blue sky.

The swordsman grinned. "Where there is a will, there is a way. I'll help you find your way back...I only ask that you stay with me a while longer."

Both of them knew what he meant. Ike wanted to be with Pit, to protect him and just stay near. "Do you have any idea where to begin?" Pit asked quietly.

"Yeah, where you landed in the first place. Sometimes, returning to the place that holds the worst memories will always give you the answer." Ike responded, closing his eyes as he gripped Ragnell tightly. "So, what do you say? Will you come with me?"

Pit was silent for a few moments before laughing and nodding happily. "Of course I will!" With that, he literally flew right into Ike's arms, a few tears of happiness escaping his eyes.

_Fate worked in strange ways. Two drastically different people met on one fateful day, and their lives would be changed forever. Their journey, their love...would be a tale for another day._

* * *

**A/N:** This chapter was originally a response to a prompt at the Smash Bros. Kink Meme on Livejournal. I've revised it from the time of my original posting, and I'm much more satisfied with it.

...of course, I couldn't simply _leave_ this fic hanging, so in a fit of inspiration, I wrote two other chapters until it was finished.

For those of you curious, this was the wording of the original prompt:

_Slight AU. Fluffy Ike/Pit. Ike finds an angel who has fallen from the sky and takes care of him until he's fine to fly again and ends up falling for him._


	2. Beloved Earth

Pit rubbed at his eyes, tired from the previous night. So tired, in fact, that he couldn't help but stumble a bit as he walked along, letting out a grunt of surprise.

"Ah..." he groaned as Ike steadied him, catching him before he could fall to the ground.

"You okay?" Ike asked in concern, looked just as haggard as the angel. Pit smiled up at the mercenary, nodding in thanks. It was times like this that he was incredibly grateful to have met the man; the way the mercenary had been looking out for him over the course of their journey affected him beyond desciption. It was proof that Ike genuinely cared for him.

Of course, it had led to some rather heated arguments along the road...

Pit shook his head. There was no need to dwell on the unpleasant memories of how they got to where they were, and everything worked itself out along the way. The battles and conflicts they had been in were numerous, but they rose above them and now, they were here; they were at the very place where Pit could return to where he came from.

"It's been a long road getting here, hasn't it?" he found himself saying, looking at the blue haired man. "Now that we're here, I can't help but feel nervous somehow." he admitted, shifting from foot to foot as they stopped at their destination. It was a crumbled ruin, with cobblestones strewn about everywhere. However, right in front of them was a stone arch, old and looking decrepit, but Pit could feel the power coming off of it. It was the way back to the tournament.

Ike snorted. "Considering that the portal that's supposed to take us to this tournament of yours is this old thing, I can't blame you."

Pit couldn't help but snicker. "Be serious! How long has it been since we've been looking for this thing?"

"Probably a year..." Ike admitted, blinking slowly. "Possibly longer than that. It just seems so unimpressive now that I see it."

The angel rolled his eyes. He had learned to deal with Ike's blunt comments over their time together, and at times, just hearing him speak his mind was trouble all in itself. But that blunt honesty was part of why he loved the man, even if it did hurt at times.

"...it really has been a long time, huh?" Ike commented as he sat down on a stone outcropping, staring at Pit. "It feels like it's been so much longer than a year, now that I think back on it..."

* * *

_Pit held the wooden bow in his hands, frowning. Perhaps it was because he was too used to the magical bow given to him by Palutena, but the weapon he held now felt awkward, to say the least. To his relief, he found that his skills as an archer hadn't decayed any, and only took him a few hours to properly learn how to use his new bow._

_Ike had also bought him two daggers to keep with him for close combat purposes, after hearing how his previous weapon could separate into two short swords. It wasn't a perfect substitute, but it worked well nonetheless._

_Closing his eyes, he bit back a sigh. They had no clue on where to start searching, and no one in the town had any idea what they were asking about. Thankfully, there was another town not that far away, so Pit hoped that things would be better once they set out._

_"Don't lose hope so soon, Pit," Ike said from across the room they were staying in for the night. "We'll find something...even if it takes us a while to find what that something is."_

_Pit nodded. Maybe he was just thinking on it too much..._

* * *

Pit shuddered as he remembered. He thought back onto his first kill, something he was prepared for...

* * *

_Along the way to the next town, bandits stood in their path. Ike had warned the angel to show no mercy, because rest assured, the other side wouldn't._

_He took it to heart as he fingered a few of the arrows in his quiver; the way that some of the men were leering at him disgusted him, and the grip on his bow only tightened as he waited for Ike to start. He was so immersed in his concentration that it was almost a surprise when Ike suddenly shot forward, slamming Ragnell into a few of the large men that blocked their path._

_Shaking himself out of his thoughts, he quickly took out an arrow and aimed it at one of the bandits surrounding Ike, who was taking out the armed men at a frighteningly fast pace. He hesitated a bit as he aimed, his hands shaking. "Just think they're demons..." he chanted to himself, steeling his eyes. He knew this was going to happen sooner or later. "Demons...they're demons..." With his resolve recovered, he let the arrow fly._

_The scream that rung out as the arrow hit the back of one of their necks didn't phase him as he immediately fired a second one into another bandit. After firing a few more arrows, he refastened the bow to his side as he took out his daggers, ready for the bandits approaching him. Dropping under an overextended swing, Pit immediately buried his daggers into the man's gut, withdrawing them as the man screamed and crumbled to the ground. The blood that splattered all over the ground didn't bother him as he turned to the other two who dared approach him._

_"Who's next?" he asked calmly._

_Minutes later, Pit stumbled away from the dead bodies that surrounded him, a glazed look in his eyes. He made his way over to Ike, who had just finished mopping up the rest of them, dead bodies pooled at his feet. The mercenary's eyes softened as he saw the angel, his cloak covered in blood. "Pit..."_

_"They weren't demons, were they?" he mumbled softly, looking down at the blood smeared all over his fingers._

_Ike could say nothing, drawing Pit into an embrace. The angel clutched to the man tightly, trembling in his grasp. He refused to let tears come, because in his heart, he knew it was the right thing to do._

_It just hurt so much..._

* * *

It had taken Pit a while to come to terms about killing humans; he had never expected to do so as an angel, and the shock of taking someone's life was large. Thanks to Ike's support, he slowly managed to get over it, although he still didn't like killing...even if it was necessary.

"Thinking about the hard times?" Ike asked, relaxing near one of the crumbled walls. The artifact wouldn't work until the sun was at its apex, according to what the scrolls said, so they were biding their time until then.

"You could say that," Pit responded, sitting down near the man. "Were we really so stupid a few months ago?"

Ike chuckled. "Of course. Everyone is stupid at times, you know?"

Pit knew exactly what he meant, that night nearly six months ago...

* * *

_Pit grumbled as he looked up at the stars, angry over the events that transpired only hours ago. They had finally gotten a lead on where to go, nearly half a year from where they started. With their hope renewed, the two had set out for a large city near the coast...only to run into yet another bandit gang, as was the norm. Pit had long ago accepted that his hands would be stained with blood, and had readied himself to kill even more._

_Only this time, it seemed that this gang was smart._

_Ike had decided it was safer to fight together, considering the numbers of bandits and other mercenaries on the road usually outnumbered them. At first, it was going well. Brigands fell to Ike's blade in droves while Pit picked off any stragglers that ran with his arrows. Those that came close to him were introduced to the cold steel of his twin daggers, and more bodies were laid around the two. When Pit saw the apparent leader start to retreat, he immediately bolted after him, intent on stopping these stupid attacks from happening again. He heard Ike shout out something, but didn't pay it any mind as he chased the leader and his flunkies through the forest._

_What he found waiting for him was another group of men as the leader turned around and drew his sword. Pit gulped; he knew he had just been led into a trap, but he was certain he could take care of it._

_He had killed five or so of the bandits when he felt the leader's sword nick the side of his arm. He grunted as he spun around to face the man who injured him, immediately retaliating with a slash to the chest, causing the leader to fall back with a pained yell. Pit could feel some blood run down his shoulder, but ignored it in favor of felling the other three bandits that grouped around him._

_Soon enough, Pit was walking away from a pile of dead bodies with nothing to show for it but a few injuries. Because of his nature, his wounds healed quickly, but it didn't stop the blood flowing down his arm. He groaned as he tore a piece of his cloak off, trying it around his bleeding injury before making his way back to where Ike was._

_When he did, he found the mercenary standing over the dead bodies that littered the path, unmoving. Pit walked up and made a move to say something, but Ike suddenly whirled around and smacked him with enough force to send him to the ground._

_"What the hell were you thinking?!" Ike nearly shouted, looking a lot angrier than Pit ever saw him. "You could have gotten yourself killed!"_

_Pit absentmindedly felt the place where Ike had slapped him, his face still stinging from the blow. But the physical pain wasn't the issue here. "I saw the chance to take down the bandit leader, so I took it." he answered simply, not trusting his emotions at the moment. Ike had never gotten angry at him before, and to feel it directed at him...it was frightening._

_Ike took a few deep breaths, trying to rein in his anger. "You're smarter than this, Pit. You know very well why not to pursue a fleeing enemy." he said as calmly as he could, fists clenched._

_"I could handle myself perfectly fine, you know," the angel suddenly growled. "You don't always have to worry about me, so stop being so overbearing! I'm not a general for nothing!"_

_"Overbearing?" Ike snarled. "That has nothing to do with it! Anything could have happened to you and I wouldn't know it-"_

_"See?! You're doing it again! You can't trust me to take care of myself!" Pit yelled at the mercenary, cutting off any protest by flapping his wings angrily. "I'm just fine, thank you very much, and I don't need to hear your unneeded worries after all of this." he growled before stomping off._

_"Where are you going?" Ike called out, still fuming._

_"To think, I don't know." Pit spat before leaving the mercenary's line of sight._

_And now, hours later, Pit sat in a clearing of the forest, wings closed over his body to keep him warm. He sighed, thinking over what Ike had said. Now that he had time to cool off, he had to admit that Ike had the right to be mad. He rushed into a situation without thinking and got injured. Thankfully, it was only a group of bandits, but what if it had been an army? Or demons? He might not have survived if that was the case._

_Not for the first time, Pit looked at his hands. The desire of wanting the pointless attacks to end must have somehow given him the idea that if he killed their leader, it would stop. Or maybe, ironically, his solution to end the battle painlessly as possible was to kill all the opposing people. He didn't like that train of thought._

_"So this is where you were," Pit heard Ike say as he stepped up to him, sitting down beside him. "Nice view."_

_The angel sighed. "Ike, I..."_

_"Hold on. First, I want to say I'm sorry," Ike said, looking into Pit's eyes. The angel was surprised; wasn't he the one in the wrong? "I do trust you to fight by yourself, but you know what? Every time I think about it, I keep seeing you when I first found you, broken and on the verge of death. I don't want that to happen again..." Ike whispered._

_Pit was silent, completely ignoring the fact that Ike didn't apologize about slapping him. "Maybe I have been too protective of you. I didn't want you to get hurt like that again." He understood now. He never imagined what it felt like to be the one to find him in such a state, and worrying over how he could ever prevent that from happening again._

_"I'm sorry for the outburst earlier," Pit apologized, closing his eyes. "Just...trust me a bit more from now on, okay?" he asked, giving Ike a weak smile._

_Ike gave him a small smile in return before Pit was in his face, giving him a small kiss. Stunned, Ike sat there, looking at the grinning face of the angel._

_"That was payback for slapping me earlier." he said cheekily. Ike couldn't help but laugh._

* * *

Ike had wrapped his arm around Pit's shoulders as the angel leaned into him, the sun climbing higher. "It's almost time, huh?"

"Yeah..." the mercenary answered, staring at the gateway.

"I've changed a lot, haven't I?" Pit asked suddenly, looking off into the sky. "I wonder, will they still accept me even now?"

"Don't think that," Ike said, nudging the angel with his elbow. "Who wouldn't like you?"

Pit snorted but didn't answer. In his mind, he knew how he changed, and he accepted it. He accepted that he could kill in cold blood, letting go of his feelings to do the job. A true mercenary, like Ike.

He left unsaid of the one time he let his hate kill someone.

* * *

_"All those people..." Pit started, glaring hatefully at the man in front of him. "You killed them...all for the pleasure of seeing their suffering?! All for your stupid notions of wealth and comfort?!"_

_The man, dressed loosely in a robe, could only stare in fear of the winged boy in front of him as he held his bow, an arrow already aiming at him. Ike stood beside the angel, his eyes burning in cold fury._

_After several months of searching, both of them had finally found the way to get Pit back to where he needed to be. A scroll in an ancient library depicted a shrine that was used to warp people across dimensions; a gate that could only be used once per year at the height of the longest day in the year. Thanks to directions from several people, both of them were well on their way towards the valley where the shrine rested, their journey finally drawing to a close._

_Of course, that was until they came across the burning town, bodies littered in the streets._

_In shock, Pit looked at the faces of the dead townspeople, and nearly threw up as he caught sight of a child. The boy's chest had been stabbed multiple times, and he had died by severe blood loss; a slow and painful death if the expression on his face was anything to say. Pit felt something in him coil in anger, wanting to find the culprit that did this...atrocity. Only Ike's hand on his shoulder prevented him from doing anything, although he looked just as furious as the angel was._

_They had found the remnants of the survivors, who were scavenging for any available weapons. They had said that the nearby noble, who had raised their taxes steadily for the past few months, had suddenly invaded the village and plundered everything of value before taking all the women, killing all those who resisted. Pit felt Ike's anger roll off his body, as he asked about where the noble's castle was._

_It wasn't long until they invaded the castle, and Pit could only marvel as he saw Ike cut a bloody swath through any who opposed him, his rage only adding to his ferocious strength. The angel found his own rage only increasing as he pressed the slaughter of the guards, and when he finally found his way to the noble's chambers, he was greeted with the sight of the disgusting man having his way with one of the village women._

_Something in him snapped as he immediately drew his bow and pointed an arrow at the man. "You!" he snarled._

_Which brought him to the present moment, as Ike helped the woman up and managed to get her out of the chambers. As the noble trembled in fear, Pit never took his eyes off of him. "So many people dead...do you have no life within you, monster?!"_

_"Who are you to call me a monster?" the man asked, finally finding his voice. "Who are you to decide if I get to live or die?"_

_Pit could only stare at him for a few moments before smirking. "Your angel of death." And then he let the arrow fly._

_The arrow found its mark in the middle of the man's throat, cosigning him to a quick and painful death._

_As the body laid dying on the floor, Pit could only lower his weapon, the hatred and anger within him now fading into emptiness. Now, he only felt drained._

_"Pit..." Ike said, uncertain of what to say. The angel could only give his loved one a sad smile in return._

_"I'm fine, Ike. I will be..." he breathed, closing his eyes in recognition of what he had done. "Let's get out of here."_

* * *

He would never forget that day. He had committed great sins, but Ike was by his side the whole way. The mercenary had said he'd never leave his side, and Pit chuckled. He wouldn't want it to be any other way.

"It's time," Ike said, getting up. "We should get ready to run through the portal when it appears, since I have no idea how long it will stay open."

Pit nodded as he got up, walking over to the stone arch. "Hey Ike?" he asked, standing beside the larger man.

"Yeah?"

"...you've never regretted coming with me, right?" he asked shyly, counting down the seconds of when the sun would be at its peak.

Ike shook his head in amusement. Pit would ask this question from time to time, and the answer would be the same. "I've never regretted it, and I never will. You're precious to me, Pit. More so than you can probably imagine."

Pit felt that familiar wetness gather at the edge of his eyes, but wiped it away. This wasn't the time for tears. "That means a lot to me, Ike."

The mercenary suddenly kneeled down and gave the angel a deep kiss, who then returned it with equal fervor. After a minute, the blue haired man pulled away, ruffling Pit's hair. "No regrets, right?"

Pit could only chuckle. "Right, no regrets."

There was suddenly a loud crack in the air as the arch glowed with power, a curtain of light appearing before them. "It's time...just think of the place you want to go with all of your heart, and we'll arrive." Ike mumbled, remembering what the old scrolls had said.

"You'll be with me, right?" Pit asked, looking at the mercenary, who nodded in return.

"I'll hold on to you with all my strength, Pit."

With one last look shared between them, they dove into the portal before it closed, their hands intertwined.


	3. True Aether

Ike winced as he felt a strange wind blow past him as he fell, the strength of it roaring in his ears. It was all he could do to hold onto Pit's hand as multicolored light swirled in his vision, blinding him. It would be very bad if they were separated and ended up in different dimensions, because he wasn't sure if this was their only chance or not. Either way, he only had one thought in his head. _Don't let go of him!_

He felt Pit's fingers clench even tighter around his own, and somehow, he could almost feel the angel smiling at him.

Faster and faster did he seem to be falling, the wind becoming louder and more unbearable. He tried to say..._yell_ anything over to his lover, but whatever he words he could form were lost to the storm around him. He was now using all of his strength, all of his willpower to hold onto Pit as everything rushed around them, trying to tear them apart. Pit, too, was mustering whatever strength he had left to keep ahold of Ike, his wings feeling like they were going to rip off at any moment from the force being exerted.

And suddenly, everything stopped.

Both were panting as they landed roughly, trying to catch their breath. "We are so not doing that again," Pit moaned from his position, struggling up to his knees. His wings were aching, almost like he had been flying without landing for several hours. "I didn't think dimensional travel was so painful!"

"You can say that again..." Ike grumbled as he slowly stood up, absentmindedly dusting off his clothes. He blinked a few times to get all the spots out of his vision before he started to look around. They were in a dark room, the only light visible coming from windows near the ceiling. A large dais sat in the middle of the room, in the center of two branching staircases that led to a larger one. It was filled to the brim with water, which seemed to be still even with the disturbance they made.

He heard Pit gasp audibly as the angel realized his surroundings. "This is..." he muttered, eyes wide. "How did we end up here...?"

"You know where we are?" Ike asked curiously, walking over to the dais and peering into it, only for his own eyes to widen in surprise. "There's no reflection..."

"I think...I kept thinking of 'home', so instead of getting to the tournament, we're actually in Skyworld," Pit explained, his brows furrowing in thought. "I had the image of the tournament in my head, but I kept wanting to go 'home', so...the gate must have taken my word literally."

The mercenary nodded. "Okay, we know how we got here...but how are we going to get to this tournament of yours?" he asked, still trying to figure out what to do.

Pit rubbed his forehead. "I don't know, honestly...we'll figure something out, though!"

Ike opened his mouth to say something when his attention was diverted elsewhere, A tall woman with green hair, glowing with a soft golden light, suddenly appeared near them, an expression of surprise on her face.

_Elincia...?!_ Ike thought in shock before narrowing his eyes. _No, that's not her. Who is this...?_

"Pit...?" she asked in surprise, looking at the angel still kneeling on the ground. "Is that really you?"

"Goddess Palutena..." Pit breathed, immediately scampering over and kneeling before her on one knee. "My goddess, I am so glad to see you!" he exclaimed, his face breaking into a wide smile.

Ike blinked. Apparently, the woman standing before them was Pit's goddess and apparent creator. He stiffened slightly; he felt the same power that radiated off Ashera from where he fought her at the top of the Tower of Guidance, but...he also felt the same kind of warmth and kindness Yune expressed too often. Whatever she was, he knew she wasn't an enemy, and lowered his guard, his face becoming unreadable.

Palutena smiled. "Oh Pit, I am happy to see that you are unharmed..." she said warmly as she strode over and motioned the angel to stand up, giving him a quick hug. Pit blushed lightly before stepping back, looking up at the face of his goddess. "When I couldn't find you after what happened, I feared that your soul had somehow been destroyed...if that had really happened, I don't know what I would have done."

Ike frowned. Pit had explained to him that even though angels were supernatural beings, they were not unlike humans in which they could die. The only difference was that any angel who died had their soul sent back to the mother goddess, Palutena, who recreated them in an infant body. The only way for an angel to truly die was if their soul was destroyed somehow, or Palutena refused to reincarnate the soul. The mercenary was truly thankful that he found Pit that fateful day; the thought of the Pit's soul just ceasing to exist was frightening.

The goddess finally seemed to notice the blue haired man standing near the dais, and looked back at Pit curiously. "Who is your companion, Pit?"

Pit couldn't help but blush. "Um...well..."

"My name is Ike," the mercenary broke in, preferring to introduce himself. "I found Pit after whatever happened and brought him back to health." he explained, noticing that the goddess seemed to be studying him.

When Palutena looked back at Pit, he gave her a shaky smile. "I was on the verge of death. If he hadn't taken me in, I would have died a true death that day." he whispered, looking back at Ike.

The goddess' eyes widened. Pit noticed that she looked frightened; more so than when Medusa had held her captive. "If that is truly the case...I owe you a debt of gratitude, Sir Ike. Thank you for saving my general in his time of need." she said, bowing to the mercenary.

Ike was reminded of the Crimean Queen once again, but squashed it as he nodded back. "It wasn't a problem. I'm glad he survived, though." he said softly, looking at the angel he saved and blushing lightly.

Palutena caught the expression and closed her eyes, sighing demurely for a moment. "Perhaps you two can tell me how you got here? It is not everyday that the Mother Goddess herself is caught unaware by two people appearing in her sanctuary." She giggled as the two had the decency to blush.

"It's a long story, my goddess. Very long..." he said, scratching the back of his head. Palutena merely smiled and waved her arm, two seats appearing out of nowhere.

"We have time. So tell me, my general, what happened after the incident...?"

With a questioning look shared between them, both Ike and Pit started to tell their story of how they met.

* * *

"...and that's how we got here. We only entered the portal mere minutes ago." Pit finished, looking weary. Telling his proverbial mother of where he had been for the past year and a half was more exhausting than he thought. Both of them were unaware of how much time had passed; once they had started telling their story, they had become so absorbed in it that they couldn't tell how long they had been speaking.

Ike had noticed that Palutena looked troubled at the beginning of their tale, which seemed to increase as they continued. She looked particularly disturbed as Pit related his first human kill, and Ike couldn't blame her. Had his own mother been alive, he was certain that she would have been the same way when he was sent out to the front lines.

As the story finished, Palutena sat silent for a minute, still absorbing what she had heard. "That...is quite the journey you had," she started, finally finding her voice. "You've gone through masilentlyny trials to reach this point. I cannot help but be impressed by both of your wills."

There was more silence for a time, before Pit decided to speak up, looking somewhat scared. "My goddess...are you ashamed of me?" he asked lowly, squeezing Ike's hand for support. "I've taken lives deliberately. I murdered someone who couldn't defend himself. I've broken so many of your laws..." he trailed off, unable to continue.

Palutena shook her head. "No, I am not ashamed of you, my general," she said, smiling warmly at him. "The loss of life is tragic, as is the taking of lives, but from what Sir Ike has said..." she nodded in appreciation towards the mercenary, who only grunted. "You only killed when the situation deemed it necessary. I cannot fault you for that."

"I...thank you, my goddess..." Pit said softly, scooting closer to Ike.

The mercenary smiled sadly. "It still bothers you, huh?" he asked Pit, stroking his fingers through the brown hair. The angel nodded, leaning into the larger man, while Palutena looked on . "That first kill bothered him more than you can imagine," he explained to the goddess, not looking up. "He still has nightmares about it from time to time..."

"And you were there to help him each time it happened, correct...?" she questioned softly, looking at Pit sadly. Ike nodded.

"It's getting better, though. His nightmares haven't been bothering him for quite some time, so I'm hoping that he will be at peace soon enough." Ike muttered, closing his eyes.

"You can stop talking like I'm not here now." Pit grumbled irritably from Ike's chest, who merely chuckled and apologized.

"I have a question for you, Sir Ike," Palutena said suddenly, looking serious. "Do you truly love Pit so much...so much that you would give up anything to be with him?"

Both Ike and Pit were shocked by the question, but after looking at the angel, the mercenary took a deep breath and started to answer.

"It's hard to explain..." he began, holding the angel closer to him. "During the first two months, I thought of him as a friend, but after he finally recovered his memories, when he said he was going to leave...something in my heart told me to not let him go, to stay by him. After I met him I just couldn't...I couldn't imagine a life without him, you know?" He then smiled weakly. "It's strange to think about it, honestly. I accompanied him because not only did I want to protect him, but it gave me another purpose in my life, a void that had been empty since years ago. And now, after everything, I will follow him through countless dimensions, no matter where he goes. I've never had any regrets, nor will I ever. He means that much to me."

"Ike..." Pit sniffed out, tears making their way slowly down his cheeks. He knew that Ike cared about him greatly, but to hear it directly from his mouth, to see him so passionate about it...he couldn't help but shed a few tears.

Palutena nodded, positively beaming. "I am glad. You have no idea how overjoyed I am to hear that, you two," Pit's eyes widened, looking at her in shock. "Pit, I am happy to see that you have found your own happiness, one that doesn't have to do with serving me. To see you spreading your wings is something I can't even express in words...again, I am grateful to you, Sir Ike. You are one of those rare humans that doesn't care about race or divinity...you can see past that, can't you? I don't think there is a better match for him than you. I give you both my blessing." she finished, smiling at Ike's astonished look.

Pit could only chuckle, his head bowed. "My goddess, this is...an honor that I am unworthy of...oh Ike..." he mumbled, crying into the man's chest. Ike patted him on the back affectionately, still in disbelief about the situation.

While he was holding the angel, another thought popped up. "Palutena...you're bothered by something else, aren't you?" he asked cautiously, knowing that the love between Pit and himself couldn't have been the only thing on her mind.

The goddess sighed. "Yes...there is something that I am concerned about," she said, making Pit look up at her. "You said that you've been gone from the Smash tournament for around a year and a half, correct?" Pit nodded, unsure of where Palutena was heading with this. "Pit...this will come as a shock, but...you've only been gone for two weeks, and not any longer than that.

Ike and Pit sat there, stunned. "_Two weeks?_" Pit choked out, paling.

"How is that even possible...?" Ike muttered to himself.

Palutena sighed. She supposed it was her turn to explain the situation. "The Hands, from what I have seen, have incredible power. I would not put it past them to have created their own universe for this tournament. I would hazard a guess that when they invited so many people to their world, they somehow anchored to each dimension and synchronized time somehow. That's why it's possible for anyone to go back and forth and still be in the right time frame."

She waited for both of them to swallow that before continuing. "But their power only goes so far. Perhaps their power is limited to a point where they can't connect any more dimensions, or maybe they're unaware of other worlds outside the ones they currently see, but since the incident..."

"...he fell into an unknown dimension to them, which was outside their control. And thus, the weird time frame," Ike finished, rubbing his forehead. "I'm getting a headache."

Pit gave him a small grin, despite the shock he was feeling. "Hey, I got a year's worth of training in a week. That's a bright side!" He chuckled when Ike snorted in amusement, "So...to them, I'll have been missing for only around two weeks, right?"

The goddess nodded. "Yes. From what I have observed using the dais, many of them are very worried. They'll be overjoyed to see you unharmed."

Pit cracked a smile, rubbing the back of his head. "About that...is there a way to get there, my goddess? I sorta messed up with the dimensional artifact we were using..."

Palutena smiled. "Of course...but not today. You both look exhausted," she said, cutting off any protests. "Tomorrow, at dawn's light, I'll send you down there. One more day shouldn't hurt, correct?"

Ike chuckled. "Well, at least we can get some sparring in before we go, right Pit?" Pit nodded enthusiastically, smiling.

"About that..." the goddess piped up, "Pit, I am happy to see you were able to adapt to human weaponry, and I trust your skills have only gotten better by traveling with Sir Ike," At the angel's curious look, she giggled. "After what happened, I managed to retrieve these. I am sure you will be very happy to see them again." She finished by holding out her hands, two items glowing above her palms before they floated over to the angel.

Pit looked like he was reunited with his best friends; a golden bow and a mirror shield. "My goddess! Words can't even express my thanks...!" he said joyfully, taking both of them and holding them within his hands. Palutena smiled.

"Take this time to rest, both of you. You've certainly earned it." she said as she left, intent on having a feast prepared for them. Like a mother, she was so glad to see one of her children grasp their own happiness without her. In a way, it was sad, but she couldn't help but feel happy. _With someone like Sir Ike around, Pit will go far. They'll follow each other to the depths of the Underworld itself if it came to it..._ Nodding to herself, she vanished, intent on getting all the preparations done. There was much to do.

Pit couldn't help but slump in his seat after his goddess had left. "Today...was a whole lot more than I could handle..." he said, feeling drained. Who knew talking could do that?

Ike shook his head. "Tell me about it. At least we're in friendly territory." he smiled. Pit chuckled before leaning over to Ike, giving him a kiss, which was returned.

Everything would be alright.

* * *

Ike smiled as he breathed heavily, staring at the grinning angel ahead of him, two short swords being held in a reverse grip in his hands. He had to admit that once Pit got his rightful weapon back, he was a force to be reckoned with. His skill had taken a huge leap and now they were almost even in skill, with Ike being superior in strength while Pit out sped him.

Over the course of their journey, both of them would spar each morning to keep in form...using wooden weapons, of course. Ike had managed to fashion two short swords made of wood, and they continuously practiced with their swordplay until slightly after dawn. He was surprised by Pit's style, who in turn was amazed at Ike's own. They were both equals, and they would freely admit that.

But it wasn't just keeping in form that interested him; every time they sparred, they both slowly learned from each other. Ike kept training his senses so he could anticipate the moves of a faster opponent, and his constant spars with Pit helped him manage it. The angel learned to use the terrain to his advantage, something he needed to take down opponents far stronger than he was. It was this fact that Ike loved most, because learning new things was what a swordsman always had to strive for.

"Magnificent..." came Palutena's voice as she walked up, greeting both of them with a nod. "Your skills have improved from last I saw you, Pit...and you, Sir Ike, are incredible in yourself." Both of the combatants lowered their weapons, acknowledging their praise. "I am prepared to send you back into the Hands' world. Don't worry, it won't be like the dimensional travel you went through." she smiled as she saw the expression on their faces.

"Thank the goddess for small favors..." Ike muttered, shaking his head.

"Pit, I'm proud of how far you've come. Go back to your friends...show them your strength. Show them the love you hold for Sir Ike, and never regret it." Palutena commanded, and Pit nodded.

"I will gladly do as you say, my goddess."

"Very well..." she murmured as she held her staff up, light gathering around them. "Close your eyes. When you open them, you will be back there...don't worry, it will only take an instant."

"Will I see you again, Palutena?" Ike asked softly, looking at the angel by his side. Palutena nodded.

"I have no doubt we will meet again. Rather, it is assured...since you'll be by his side. This is only a temporary parting, after all...We will meet again." she whispered as both Ike and Pit closed their eyes, and with a flash, disappeared.

* * *

When they opened their eyes once more, they were met with a cloudless sky, lying on a grassy knoll overlooking the mansion. Ike marveled at the size of it; it was larger than some of the small castles he had seen in his life.

"That was my reaction too," Pit said in amusement. "Wait until you actually see what's inside."

"Somehow, I think that's having the opposite effect on me." Ike responded, laughing. "So, care to lead me? You're the one who knows the way, after all."

Pit smirked. "It would be my pleasure! Let's go!" he exclaimed, running down the hill and onto a nearby dirt path. Ike shook his head and quickly followed, setting a quick pace towards the towering mansion in the distance.

When they finally arrived a half hour later, Ike realized the mansion wasn't as imposing as it looked. Pit would continually tease him about his reactions to various things, but would calm down when he was reminded he was the same way when he arrived the first time. The mercenary couldn't help but gaze in awe at his surroundings; it was like the first time he had been to Melior, or even Mainal Cathedral.

"Pit...? Is that you!?" A sudden voice snapped him out of his thoughts as he looked to his side, two women standing there. They seemed to be royalty, judging from their manner of dress, and the blond one could barely manage suppressing a squeal of laughter. "It is you! How? Where have you been for these past few weeks!? Do you even know how worried all of us were?" she rebuked, although she seemed more relieved than anything.

"Calm down Peach," the other princess interjected before looking at the angel. "I'm so glad you're alright! We need to let the others know...and who's that with you, by the way?" she asked, looking at Ike curiously.

"Hold on a minute, Zelda," Pit said, holding a hand up. He wasn't in the mood for explaining things now, not after yesterday. "I know, I need to tell you guys what happened, but...can you take us to Master Hand first? I need to talk to it before I do anything else."

Both princesses looked at each other nervously. "Are you sure? I mean..." Peach started before she was cut off by a growl from the taller man.

"He's sure," Ike cut in irritably, glaring at the two princesses. "Right now, he has something to do, something that he's been waiting to do for a while. We'd appreciate it if you did what he asked."

Both women were stunned that a total stranger was speaking to them like that. "Wait a minute, we don't even know who you are!" Zelda retorted, crossing her arms.

Before things could get out of hand, Pit stomped on the ground, getting the attention of the princesses. "Enough! Peach, Zelda, I know there are things to talk about, but this isn't the time. Right now, I need to see Master Hand _immediately_. I would appreciate it if you told us where to find it." he snapped.

"Uh...alright then. Master Hand should be at the Final Destination..." Peach muttered, blinking back her shock at Pit snapping at them. Pit nodded his thanks and dragged Ike off before anything else could happen, leaving two confused women behind.

"That went smoothly..." Pit murmured to himself as he led Ike up flights of stairs, instinctively knowing the way. "I hope I wasn't too harsh on them."

"You can apologize later," Ike responded, trying not to let his eyes wander; everything was so new and strange to him that it was hard to not think he was in some sort of dream. "Right now, you have a score to settle." The angel nodded as he pushed open a set of doors at the very top of the mansion, leading Ike into what he called 'Final Destination'.

"Whoa..." Ike breathed, looking around like a little kid. He couldn't help it; it was like he was in the middle of the stars as they moved around him, twinkling brightly and in unison. He barely noticed as Pit stopped to look up at something, and his eyes widened as he followed his gaze. Up above was a giant gloved hand, floating down at them.

"I'm back, Master Hand," Pit said calmly, waiting for a response. Ike saw the hand make some sort of gesture before Pit nodded. "You sense it too? Yeah, I was knocked to another dimension outside your anchor, so...it's been a long road getting back here."

The mercenary was wondering how the hell Pit was understanding it when the angel spoke up again. "I know you're not at fault, so you don't have to apologize. However...I need to settle things with Crazy Hand. It needs to be taught that we're not playthings." he said resolutely, steeling his eyes. The Hand made another gesture, this time pointing at Ike.

"Me?" Ike asked, surprised he could suddenly understand what the Hand was conveying. "I am Ike, a mercenary. I helped Pit when he was knocked into my dimension. I've been with him ever since."

"He did more than that," Pit said softly, looking at his lover. "He was the one to save my life when I crashed there. Had it not been for him..."

Master Hand made another gesture, this time making its thanks known. "No, you don't have to thank me. To be honest, if it hadn't happened, I wouldn't have met Pit at all, so...I guess I can be thankful for that, at least." Ike heard Pit chuckle before he got elbowed. The Hand made one more gesture, floating in the air before Ike. "Uh...you want me in your tournament?" He asked and got another gesture in return, a sort of nod in confirmation. "Well, sure. Although I would like to take a look around first..."

With another gesture, Master Hand vanished into space. "It says it will summon Crazy Hand...but I can be the only one here. Master Hand doesn't want any of the others to watch, thankfully...he also said he'll start making preparations for you after my fight," Pit sighed, readying his bow. "With this battle, I'll overcome what has happened. I swear it."

Ike closed his eyes before giving the angel a quick hug. "I believe in you, Pit. Just don't take any stupid risks, you hear me? I'll make that slap months ago feel like a love tap in comparison if you do." he warned jokingly, and Pit laughed.

"Don't worry, I won't...for both our sakes." With one last nod, Ike turned back and exited out of the doors they had entered earlier, leaving the angel alone with his thoughts.

At least until a cackling laughter resounded throughout the stage, a writhing white hand suddenly appearing. Pit narrowed his eyes.

"This time, I'm ready for you! You're going to regret the day you tried to kill me!" he snarled, immediately materializing an arrow in his bow. "No more holding back!"

And with that, he let the arrow fly, letting the battle commence once more...

* * *

Ike frowned as he made his way back down to the foyer, lost in thought. He wasn't worried about how Pit's battle would go; no, he had the fullest confidence that the angel would bring the other Hand down with no problems. It seemed strange to him, but the one he was most worried about was himself. This place was just _too_ strange; there were several things he had already seen in the mansion that he knew couldn't have existed back on Tellius...or anywhere in his world, actually.

He wasn't a self-conscious person by any means; he never gave a whit about what people thought of him, but now...he knew he was going to look incredibly out of place here. The mercenary shifted uncomfortably upon realizing this fact, not knowing what to do for once. But he had to start somewhere, but how...? "I wonder what to do...this is one thing that my life hasn't prepared me for."

"You look like you're a bit lost, stranger." a deep voice suddenly said somewhere behind him. Ike looked over his shoulder to see a man clad in blue, wearing a red helmet and a visor.

"Perhaps," Ike admitted as calmly as possible. "I'm new here."

The man laughed, walking up him and looking the mercenary up and down. "I can tell from your posture...you're confused about your surroundings, are you not?"

Ike was surprised about how easily he was given away, but kept his expression neutral. He had to choose his words with care, after all. "You can tell that just from looking at me?" he asked in amusement, giving him a small smirk.

"Yeah, you aren't exactly the first one, you know," the man snorted before holding out a hand. "The name's Captain Falcon. What's yours?"

Ike gripped the hand and shook vigorously, smiling. Perhaps getting accustomed to this world wouldn't be as hard as he thought. "Ike. I'm a mercenary."

"We have plenty of those here, including me!" Captain Falcon laughed, his respect for the person in front of him already high. "I can tell just by your handshake...you're strong, and confident. Great attributes that speak well of a warrior."

"Likewise, you're pretty experienced yourself," Ike smiled, noting the way the man carried himself. "Are all the fighters here like yourself?"

Captain Falcon shrugged. "Depends, you'll have to find that out for yourself," he said before smiling. "So...how about a spar? The best way to get to know a fellow warrior is through their weapons, after all!" he exclaimed, holding up his fist.

"You're right to the point, huh...?" the blue-haired man asked in amusement. "Very well, I accept! Lead the way."

* * *

An hour later, Pit stepped out of the Final Destination, a pleased look on his face. The battle had been long, but he had been more than satisfied. The Hand was powerful and resilient, but was weakened without the support of its other half. Not only that, but Pit himself had changed. He was no longer playful and cheerful while fighting; during his time together with Ike, he learned to drop his enemies quick or he'd regret it in the end, which was exactly what happened the first time. He shuddered to remember it; he had left Crazy Hand alone, thinking it was done for good...only for it to get up and nearly squeeze him to death. That wouldn't happen again...with anyone.

And so, this battle concluded rather favorably with him. He took no chances, always keeping the Hand within his sight at all times, not hesitating to strike a blow when it was weakened. The Hand fought back ferociously, of course, but was no match for his speed and technique. Pit had been relieved when he heard Crazy Hand scream in pain as he literally exploded, falling back to wherever it came from. Now, at last, he could put the whole thing behind him and continue on with his life with Ike.

Speaking of that...he really should find him, because it was more than likely that he was lost...

"Pit!" someone yelled as he tackled him, with the angel falling onto the floor with a soft 'oof!'. "Oh god, it's really you! I thought...I thought..." the blonde boy sobbed, tears streaming down his eyes. Pit looked up to see another boy standing over him, looking just as relieved to see him.

"Is it really you, Pit?" the other boy asked, covering his mouth in shock.

"Lucas, Red..." he said softly, patting the crying boy currently sitting on his chest.

"We thought you died..." Red breathed, looking like he was about to cry himself. "It was so horrible, everything was in chaos when it happened."

"I'll bet," Pit said dryly before turning his attention to Lucas. "Hey Lucas, how've you been?"

"How have I been?" Lucas sniffed, glaring at the angel. "We all think you died and then you come back asking how I've been? You're such a jerk!" he sobbed, crossing his arms angrily.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry!" Pit said quickly, waving his hands in a placating manner. "Look, Lucas...I'm sorry I worried you all. It's been crazy getting back here."

Lucas sighed, smiling at his friend. "I'm so happy you're alive..." Red nodded as he heard that, wiping his eyes.

Pit smiled at his friends as he asked Lucas to get off of him as he stood up. "Well, considering Peach and Zelda were the first ones to see us as we got here, I imagine everyone already knows I'm back, huh? I swear those two love gossip too much..."

Lucas and Red blinked in unison. "Us?" the psychic asked in confusion.

"We?" Red repeated.

"It's a long story...and I'm only going to tell it once, so go get all of my friends to meet in the cafeteria." Both boys nodded, shoving their confusion to the side for the time being as they left. "Oh boy, looks like I get a repeat of what happened yesterday. Hope Ike can wait a bit longer, because I won't be out for a while..."

Sighing in resignation, he left for the cafeteria, intent on getting some water before he spilled his tale yet again.

* * *

Both warriors breathed heavily, staring the other down.

"I must say...I would absolutely dread having to fight you if the situation was serious, Ike," Captain Falcon said in between breaths. "Your skill with the sword is absolutely amazing."

Ike grinned back, waiting for his second wind. "Maybe, but I'm really surprised by your marial arts. Who knew it could be so powerful? Or that someone's fist could erupt into flames?" He had _really_ been surprised by that; so much so that part of his cape was now singed.

The racer laughed. "True, true! I suppose we can end our spar here, I've seen enough," With a heavy sigh, he straightened out of his stance, cracking his knuckles. "Looks like I've found someone to stop holding back against. And I have no doubt that once everyone here sees your skill, they'll do the same."

"I look forward to that," Ike chuckled, his mind already thinking of the possibilities. If so many people here were as strong as Captain Falcon and Pit...the swordsman's blood within him roared, eager to meet these new challenges. "But I think I'll need to settle down first. I just got here, and everything is so confusing." He didn't need to hide his confusion from the man opposite of him; the man was being honest with him, so why not return the favor?

"And like I said, you're not the first," the man nodded as he motioned Ike to follow him. "I'll show you around, because for some reason, I'm almost like the unofficial tour guide here."

"You sound almost too enthused about it." Ike remarked dryly, walking down a flight of stairs and into a corridor.

"It's worth it for all the reactions I get to see, trust me. Although I don't think anything will ever replace Link's face of horror that one time..." he mumbled.

Ike rolled his eyes while following closely, amused. He hoped Pit wasn't bored waiting for him.

* * *

Pit decided that he hated silence. This was because most of his friends were now staring at him in shock, and it was beginning to annoy him. "Okay, I know that what I told you is pretty unbelievable, but could you all quit staring?"

Marth was the first to shake himself out of his stupor. "So after Crazy Hand nearly killed you, you somehow managed to end up in a dimension outside of this one...and then this Ike person found you?"

"Yeah...that was the start of everything I've told you." Pit smiled, leading to some chatter amongst his friends.

"And somehow, along the way, you two fell in love with each other," Samus snorted. "Sounds like one of those romance novels I keep reading." The angel blushed, deciding it was better if he didn't know that Samus liked reading said romance novels.

"Um...Pit, I need to ask. Do you really love him?" Peach asked, looking unsure. "He was so cold to us outside, and he doesn't exactly seem like the friendly type. With what you just told us..." she was silenced by his glare.

Pit frowned. "I don't see why you're asking me that, but I'll answer it anyway," he said calmly, remembering Ike's own declaration with his goddess just yesterday. It wouldn't be fair if the mercenary was the only one that said it, right? "I love him because he doesn't see me as some divine messenger or supernatural being...he sees me for who I actually am, a person. He was willing to travel with me, to fight for me, to bleed for me...he wasn't obligated to, but he did it because he wanted to protect me. He stayed with me through my nightmares, he smacked some sense into me when I was being reckless, he helped me find my way back here."

He took a deep breath, everyone's attention on him. "He was the one who held me as things became difficult, as they became almost too much to bear...I owe him not only my life, but so many other things...which doesn't include my love. I don't love him out of some sort of debt to him, I love him because we not only trust each other, but he truly understands me. I love him because he is honest; an honesty that says how much he's willing to do for me. I love him...because if anything was to ever happen to him, I would move both Skyworld and the Underworld itself to look for him. And that love is something I will never give anyone else." he finished, glaring at his friends.

Everyone couldn't help but stare in awe at Pit, who seemed to be radiating his own confidence and resolve. Peach flushed, having the decency to look ashamed.

"I'm sorry..." she squeaked out, looking away. The angel sighed.

"It's okay, you didn't know. But now that you do..." he left it unsaid and everyone nodded.

"So, were you really gone for nearly a year and a half?" Link asked, and the questions continued.

* * *

Later that night found Ike and Pit up on the roof of the mansion, staring at the full moon.

"They've taken it rather well, I think," Pit said as he snuggled closer to the mercenary. "I think I frightened Peach a bit too much, though. She wouldn't look me in the eyes for the rest of the day..." he snickered.

Ike shrugged. "At least most of them seemed to have accepted us. I look forward to getting to know them."

"You mean getting to fight them." Pit remarked before he was elbowed in the side as Ike grunted.

"That too, but...there are a lot of interesting people here. It's almost surreal." he sighed, looking up at the stars. It was such a good night to view them, after all.

The angel smiled up at his lover. "Well, I know what you mean. There's still a lot of stuff here that I don't understand," he remarked, following Ike's gaze. "But you know what? As long as I'm with my friends...as long as with I'm you, I don't care."

Ike grinned. "Yeah, we can take on anything together. There's no force in the world that would stop us...be it human or goddess." Pit could only chuckle dryly, remembering how Ike had said that he had slain a goddess on his home continent.

"Some of the people here probably won't take well to us...although I expected it."

"We'll deal with it when the time comes."

There was a moment of silence between them as they continued to stare up at the stars.

"Hey, Ike...? Pit asked nervously. He had never actually said this to his face before, and it was making him nervous for no reason.

"Yeah?"

"...I love you."

"...I love you too, Pit."

With that, Pit leaped onto the man, capturing his lips in a hungry kiss. Ike returned it, and soon, they were only silhouettes against the light of the full moon.

"You said you'd follow me anywhere, right...?"

"What're you getting at...?"

"Want to follow me to my room?"

"Ha! You're getting quite forward, aren't you?"

"Yep. I really want to show...how much I love you."

"...alright. Lead the way, Pit."

That night, their love reached new heights as they made love for the first time, both of them moved by not only their physical connection, but the bond they felt with each other. They would never be alone again.

And to think, it all started on that day, when Ike followed a trail of bloody feathers...

* * *

**A/N: **And that's the end of that. I really enjoyed writing this, just as I hope you all enjoyed reading it.

The conclusion is all up to you, this is just the end of their long journey home. There won't be a sequel to this, because this is an end in itself.

That said, please don't ask me to do a prompt in reviews. If you wish to see some assorted prompts, along with stuff I've already done, find the Smash Bros Kink Meme on Livejournal and read through there. There are tons of awesome fics there, and I'm not referring to my own.


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